The training ground was filled with the heating atmosphere and loud shouts from the fully dressed knights. The usual half-naked appearance of the knights were being humble due to some cute creature that decided to join the training for the first time in her life.
After reaching the conclusion and the verbal agreement between her and the king, she decided to join the knights' training to wield the sword for her survival. However, the regret soon hit her full speed. Even though she was treated like a princess still but she didn't enjoy the training at all. She indeed wanted to be strong to protect herself, but instead of sweating stupidly under the sun, she was rather running off inside the forest the whole day to increase her stamina. Sword fighting was not her style at all.
"My Lady, you need to swing the sword like this. Please copy me precisely." Sir Paran, his sword teacher almost cried. She was indeed a tough student to be taught. She quickly gave up as soon as she picked up the wooden sword. However, his pride as an elite knight wouldn't let her go until she fixed her posture even though she hated it.
"No. It's hard. Where is sir Derrick? I want him to teach me." She pouted, folded her arm petulantly.
Paran laughed bitterly, inwardly crying. This was the reason why Derrick didn't want to teach her. He has no heart to scold her or to train her. He was so soft for the lady. For his friend's happiness, he'll be the villain here.
Elizebeth huffed tiredly. "How should I do it again?" She tried very hard to copy the teacher but her posture was so awkward, to begin with. No matter how many times sir Paran fixed it, it slouched back to the awkward position without her realizing it.
"Bend your body for a little, My Lady. Put strength on your sword." Paran taught him the same thing again and again without fail. He was so patient in the interaction. The teacher was so firm yet gentle to her heart. His body language told her that he was determined to make her an excellent swordswoman.
"Huh~ this is so hard. I can tell I don't have talent in this field." She said as she copied the body posture but still felt awkward. "Don't we have another style to teach me? This style doesn't suit me at all." She whined loudly. Unintentionally attract her brothers that coincidentally in the same training ground with her.
Paran shifted his gaze between her brothers' murderous eyes and Elizebeth back and forth. Her brothers told him to drop the training in their glare language and the little sister was not being helpful at all.
"What do you want to do, My Lady?" He gave up the idea to make her the best swordswoman in the region. With protective brothers and the royal family towards her, she might have no problem to shield herself. They wouldn't let her go alone freely anyway.
Elizebeth beamed. There's a thing she would like to try but she wasn't sure either the term was right to use here. "If- if I want to learn parkour, would you teach me?" She blinked a few times exuding her charm and tried to coerce him.
"Parkour?" He thought. "What's that, My Lady?"
Elizebeth took a moment to study the other man before speaking. Parkour was a strange word here. She wasn't on earth, after all. "Something required to run among the buildings, climb the building, jump between buildings and escape from the danger. Or some sort."
Paran froze, his eyes fluttered in confusion. He was processing her words with so much consideration, his mouth moving to speak before he shook his head as if it wasn't the right word to say.
"... I think I know what you are talking about, My Lady." He, at last, answered her after so much consideration. "Follow me." He asked for her wooden sword wordlessly before he threw it at one of the soldiers and led their way to some other area.
Leaving the sword training ground, they moved to another place that she never knew existed before. The area was just side by side but due to the vast training ground, she never stepped inside any other ground to fulfill her curiosity. She never was once interested before.
The next training ground shook her entire body. That's what she was talking about. The military-style of training instead of sword fighting. If this kind of training, she would have no problem to plan her escape when she was in danger. In a way, she decreased to casualty because of her.
"This ground will be my first step." She muttered next to Paran who focused on her.
"First step, My Lady?"
"I'm not planning to be your baggage. Even if something happened during my journey, my people can protect me without worrying about my safety. I'm wishing to not disrupt your fight. With this kind of training, I can escape at ease and find a shelter and let you shine on the battlefield."
Sir Paran couldn't believe his own ears. His young lady was an ambitious person and greedy too. She was unique in her own way. Instead of trying to showcase her talent, she realized the art of running away wasn't as shameful as people deemed it. As long as you survived the battle, you are the true survivor, regardless of any means. Not only was she beautiful, kind-hearted, smart but also realistic.
"When is My Lady planning to start the training? I will schedule the training according to your will." Sir Paran decided to obey her.
There's a small chuckle from Elizebeth. She was happy to have an understanding of people. They knew precisely her thinking. "We can start our regime today. We will discuss the rest after the training. I have another thing to attend to as well but this regime is essential for my life. I wish not to do this half-heartedly." She thought. Taking everything into consideration.
"Today? Don't My Lady think it's too early for you?"
She smirked. "Today was supposed to be the first day of my sports training. I don't care how tough it was. I think I will enjoy this more than sword fighting."
Paran stared at Elizebeth, perhaps trying to understand her thinking only getting interrupted by other voices.
"Eliz."
"Lize."
"Beth."
Three voices called her simultaneously from behind her back. As she turned around, sir Paran bowed towards them in high respect.
"Young masters," greeted Paran, his voice vibrating and echoing into the vast field.
"You may go." Demien waved him away as he stepped beside her.
"I understand, Young master Demien." He bowed again and this time at Elizebeth smiled at her pitifully. "We will discuss the schedule tomorrow."
Elizebeth sigh lethargically. "Okay. be careful, sir Paran." She grinned and waved at him cutely.
"What are you doing here, Lize?" Kyle looked around at the ground that filled half of their men.
"Looking around my training ground." She said, making grab hands at Demien.
"Do you give up your sword training?" Indulf knitted the brow.
"Yes." She settled inside Demien's hold. Rested her head on the shoulder.
"Why?" Kyle stroked her head and kissed her plump cheek.
"Just because." She giggled when Kyle's breath tickled her cheek.
"Beth decides to train on this ground just because?" Demien couldn't believe her.
"Yes." But she had no intention to reveal her real intention.
Demien blinked. His sister became more complex as the day went by. She was complex before but she exactly became so secretive and complex after her nightmare. She had her cute side still but she was too mature sometimes. Too much for him to handle.
"Please stop growing for a while baby. I still want my cute baby." Demien tightened the hug, huffed.
Kyle had the same sentiment as his brother and hugged both of them which Demien kindly took him inside his hold too. "Yes, baby. Don't grow up too fast. Brother still wants to teach you a lot of things." He said in a sad voice.
"Yes, Eliz. Don't grow up too fast." Indulf sniffed exaggeratedly and claimed another side of Demien.
Demien chuckled while Kyle took Indulf inside him. Hugging each other as Elizebeth at the center. They stayed like that for a while under the heat of the sun. Ignoring the knights that peeking at them with tender eyes. The siblings were not so affectionate originally but the arrival of the fourth child in the family bonded them tighter. Their current bonding was thanks to Elizebeth. She was revolutionary in the house.
"Okay. Elizebeth doesn't want to grow up. Elizebeth will love brothers equally. Elizebeth loves brothers so much." She said in a tiny voice.
"Brother loves Elizebeth too." Said Indulf, Kyle, and Demien in unison. Tightening their hug even more.
"So don't die." She whispered, low. Hoping the brothers didn't hear before she covered her face on Demien's shoulder.
It was in vain. They heard her well enough. Hugging each other without a space between them, they bound to hear even the inner breath from each one of them. It saddens their hearts even more. She never stopped to remind them to be extra careful and evade death as much as possible. Thanks to that, they took extra precaution in everything they do. Taking the warning very seriously.
Hi, songbird,
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